A myriad of tools exist that claim to improve operations of the business.  Our focus is on the areas we define as operations, which may be different from others’ definitions.   The “Business Operations” are those areas involved in producing and / or supporting the items and services sold.

Some of the more common names or descriptions of these areas or departments include Manufacturing, Processing, Purchasing, Logistics/ Transportation, Supply Chain, Distribution, Warehousing, Quality Control/ Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Engineering/ Industrial Engineering, Production Control, Scheduling, Shop Floor Management, and Maintenance.

            The tools used for improvement provide optimal results when applied in the CORRECT ORDER.  Where some organizations achieved a small amount of benefit from applying these tools out of sequence, they also miss the total potential benefit available and short change themselves or their clients (if these are applied by an outside consulting firm).   Eventual disenchantment with this approach of several “Performance Improvement Initiatives” being started in the wrong order not only fails to achieve the desired results but also turns the employees to label them as the “flavor of the month”.

            Though our approach, the foundation is first established then the proper building blocks are implemented as to integrate each.  Each “stage” of development not only contributes its’ own benefits, but is positioned to amplify the previous stage’s results.  Thus, the benefit of one expands the potential benefit of the next, and so on.  In this manner, the results are not stand a lone, but are compounded.  Thus a greater overall total is achieved. 

            Several of these tools (a.k.a. “Building Blocks”) are listed on the accompanying pages.  However, the “sequence” for application and “How To” properly apply them are reserved for out clients.